After a period of internal conflicts within the council over the past four years, Kamloops, B.C., residents have selected a new mayor to lead their city.
Mike O’Reilly emerged victorious in the election with 13,235 votes, surpassing the incumbent Reid Hamer-Jackson by a significant margin of over 9,600 votes. O’Reilly, who previously served as a councillor starting in 2018 and completed two terms in that capacity, comes from a business background with experience as a developer and ownership of a real estate holding company.
In October 2025, O’Reilly announced his candidacy for mayor, aiming to address what he described as “chaos” within the city hall environment.
Since Hamer-Jackson’s election in 2022, the Kamloops council has frequently been in the spotlight due to conflicts between Hamer-Jackson and other councillors. Recently, a court ruling mandated the former mayor to cover legal costs and damages related to a defamation lawsuit against Katie Neustaeter.
Neustaeter, along with Margot Middleton and Kelly Hall, were among the three incumbent councillors who retained their seats. Nancy Bepple, Stephen Karpuk, Dale Bass, and Bill Sarai were unsuccessful in their election bids.
The incoming council members include Rob Bertand, Jesse Ritcey, Steve Bucher, Christopher Mitra, and Randy Sunderman, the latter representing the new Pivot Kamloops party. O’Reilly expressed eagerness to collaborate with the diverse council members over the next four years, stating, “We’re in a very good cycle.”
O’Reilly emphasized his track record in consensus-building through his involvement with Kamloops’s finance committee and various volunteer board positions, promising to bring a similar collaborative approach to the mayor’s role. He pledged to be a consensus-driven leader who listens attentively to constituents before taking action.
Regarding the budget, O’Reilly outlined plans to ensure developments outside city limits contribute to the municipal budget for services they utilize, such as parks and recreation facilities. He proposed expanding city boundaries to include the New Gold mine to enhance property tax revenues.
On the issue of crime and street disorder, O’Reilly proposed relocating emergency shelters from core business areas and residential neighborhoods. He advocated for the establishment of a “campus of care” on city-owned land and the deployment of community service officers in key commercial zones to address street disorder issues effectively.
In addressing environmental concerns and climate change, O’Reilly stressed the need for Kamloops to focus on climate adaptation, including developing evacuation plans for high-risk neighborhoods and applying for grants to mitigate risks. He also supported the expansion of cycling and trail networks to enhance connectivity between neighborhoods and communities.
